17th November

A very different day with a strong SE wind, low cloud and general murk (really, where was this earlier in the autumn?); there seemed to be a trickle of birds moving south down the west coast including 232 Fieldfare, 125 Redwing, a Mistle Thrush (only the second of the autumn), 2 Common Redpoll and a few Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls at sea.

                Other totals through the day up the west coast and a little look at the other lochs included 2 Red-throated Divers, a Great-northern Diver, the 5 Pink-footed Geese, the Barnacle Goose, 16 Gadwall, the Green-winged Teal still on Gretchen, 15 Pintail, 9 Shoveler, 13 Tufted Duck, 4 Goldeneye, a Hen Harrier, 3 Merlin, 3 Woodcock, 2 Robins, 75 Blackbird, 4 Song Thrush, a Blackcap, 7 Chaffinches, a Brambling, a Linnet, 35 Twite, and 25 Snow Buntings.

Big, pale Common Redpoll from yesterday                Simon Davies